Movie theme challenge
by Aereal
Summary: In the mender's wing, a plan is hatched. A humerous one-shot, with a hint of Mary Poppins in the air.


**Movie fiction challenge**

**Movie: Mary Poppins**

**Challenge: use some element from a favourite movie to create a fic, but not a KxZ couple fic.**

**A short, fun, sweet, fic! Could be set any time during the books, possibly at the start of Blackveil.**

Mender Gladys hummed a merry tune to herself as she stepped lightly down the corridor. It was a beautiful day and the sun had just risen. On another note, one of the Light Horse sergeants that she had liked for ages had finally taken her to dinner last night. She had every reason to be cheerful.

She saw Ben stepping out of a room up ahead, closing the door behind him. She looked at the grimace on his face and stopped him by placing her hand on his arm.

"What's the matter?"

His frown deepened, but he only needed to say two words. "Green Rider."

"Oh", was all she could say at first. She hadn't heard of any major injuries though. "Who is it?"

He scowled at the timber door beside him as if it was personally responsible. "Mapstone."

"The Captain?" He just nodded. "But she hasn't even been out on any errands, what's the matter with her?"

"She seems to have developed a bad cold. It's not serious, and I have some medicine that will speed up her recovery, but she just flat refuses to take it. I thought she was going to bite my ear off, she looked so infuriated." Gladys fought to keep herself from laughing; Ben looked so exasperated with the stubborn redhead.

Then she looked thoughtful. "It's ok Ben, leave it to me. I can make her take the medicine, you just have to know a little more about her." He looked deeply relieved, but put out that perhaps she had some kind of secret knowledge that he didn't. "Really, are you sure? I mean, she was my patient, but if you think you can manage her… just call for me if she starts causing you too much trouble."

Gladys just grinned widely. "Don't worry Benny, I'll have her cured and up and about in no time. Piece of cake." He looked at her suspiciously, but hurried away down the corridor before she could change her mind.

The Green Rider captain was a notoriously bad patient, and had suffered some serious injuries in the past which had required lengthy stays in the mending wing. Her bad temper was legendary among the menders, enough that Ben was keen to stay away from her although he had never even had to treat her himself. That he was also a Rider and therefore she was his Captain only made it more embarrassing that she refused to listen to his suggestions about recovery. He could hear Gladys whistling as she headed in the opposite direction; what was she up to?

Gladys entered a room further up from Laren's, and smiled at Tegan who was sitting up in bed with a bandaged wrist. Tegan grinned back. "I heard you talking to Ben out there. What are you planning, Gladys? You better not pull any pranks on the Captain, she'd eat you alive if she found out."

"No no, nothing like that," replied Gladys airily. "Actually I just happen to have some inside information, that Laren Mapstone is secretly… a huge sweet tooth" she announced, looking smug. Tegan gasped. "But… but she never even eats dessert in the dining rooms! She never accepts lollies when you offer them to her. She even turns up her nose at Garth when he brings Honey Crisps to share!"

The mender leaned forward and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "That's because she has a secret order at Master Gruntler's for four bags of dragon droppings a week."

Tegan's eyes grew large. "Noooo… it can't be true! How did you find out?" As a seasoned prankster, inside information such as this was vital.

"You remember I told you about Theodore? From the Light Horse brigade? Yeah, the cute sergeant who injured his arm two weeks ago. Well, his cousin works as an assistant at Gruntler's and she told him and… well, he told me over dinner last night" she finished, blushing slightly.

Tegan's grin grew wider. "Ha haaa! Go Gladys! Cute sergeant eh? I bet he might have a lot of minor injuries now, find plenty of reasons to come and visit?"

"Shut it Tegan," replied Gladys, returning the grin but giving her a very un-mender-like shove. "Well I better go see if my plan works."

Ten minutes later, Gladys entered Laren Mapstone's room with a large cup in hand, assuming a calm expression. Laren opened one eye as she lay in the bed, and looked at her suspiciously. Gladys forced herself to take a step forward. Even with only one eye open, and lying horizontal, the Captain was still formidable.

"Where's mender Ben?" Laren asked sharply. "Oh he, he asked me to bring this to you. It's a new cure they've found for colds, brought in just last month from the cloud islands, a brilliant discovery. It's quite delicious actually, we've had to stop the younger menders from taking it to drink just for enjoyment." Gladys lifted her chin a fraction and glanced sideways to see if the Captain was taking this in. So far so good.

She ploughed on. "It's er, got a slight _chocolate_ flavour with just a hint of sweet clover honey. Quite palatable, if you like sweet things. Of course not everyone does, I mean I'm sure that your tastes are much more refined, I could ask Ben to bring some of our _regular_ medicine if you prefer. Which does taste slightly like pondweed or dried compost, but it does you good. Kind of organic, you know."

She fought to keep from smiling. Laren's eyes were quite alarmed. "Er, look, Mender—" "Gladys," Gladys supplied.

"Mender Gladys, I suppose I could try just a little of this newfangled stuff. Obviously sweet things are _terribly_ bad for my constitution, but since I've got a cold already…" the Captain finished by sniffing delicately.

Gladys tried to look reluctant as she handed over the cup. She watched the Captain drain the contents in one gulp, then look thoughtful. "Not too bad, really, although I'm not sure the chocolate flavour really hits you until afterwards. Not too bad at all."

Later that evening, Tegan regaled Fergal with the story, trying to keep from breaking into loud peals of laughter as he looked first horrified, then bemused, then delighted. The Captain was still in the next room, although now she had taken her medicine, she would probably be allowed to leave the next day. She would be furious if she heard them laughing at her.

"But what—" Fergal asked, "what in the blazes did Gladys do to the medicine? It was just the normal medicine right? So what did she add to it?"

Tegan grinned. "Just a spoonful of sugar."


End file.
